-*;. 



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F all the insects which occasionally 

 claim our attention in our country 

 rambles, there is probably no ex- 

 ample more entitled to our distin- 

 guished consideration than the ple- 

 beian, commonly despised, but ad- 

 ', — - mittedly amusing beetle known the 



country over as the funny " tumble- 

 bug." As we see him now, so he has always been — 

 the same in appearance, the same in habits ; 3'et 

 how has he fallen from grace! how humbled in the 

 eyes of man from that original high estate when, 

 in ancient Egypt, he enjoyed the prestige above all 

 insects — where, as the sacred " scarabaeus," he was 

 dignified as the emblem of immortality, and wor- 

 shipped as a god ! The archjeologicai history of 

 Egypt is rich in reminders of his former emi- 

 nence. Not only do we see his familiar shape (as 

 shown in our initial design) everywhere among 



